Clothes pounder



May 27, 1947. J. H. SOLOMON 2,421,297

CLOTHES POUNDER Filed Jan. 3, 1946 Patented May 27, 1947 UNI TED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'CLOTHES POUNDER Joseph H. Solomon, Columbia, Pa.

"Application January 3, 1946,'SerialNo. 638,746

2 Claims.

, V 1 This invention relates to hand-operated clothes washing devices of the general type in which an inner suction cup is reciprocated within an outer hold-down cup to impart turbulence to the water inwhich the clothes are immersed so that the water thoroughly vpenetrates and cleanses the fabric.

An important object of my invention is to provide a washing device of the above character in which the suction cup is provided with knuckles upon its inner surface so constructed and arranged as to produce a rubbing or scrubbing action of the clothes in a manner somewhat similar to the hand washing of clothes on a scrubbing board.

Another object of my invention is to provide a washing device of the above character having a receptacle for laundry soap, powder or chips so arranged as to maintain a soapy solution within the outer cup and which is conveniently accessible for filling through the handle of the device.

Still another advantage of my invention is to provide a washing device of the above character which is simple in construction, eflicient in operation and capable of being manufactured at low cost.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a hand-operated clothes washing device;

Figure 2 is a detail cross-sectional view of a portion of the suction cup; and

Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, in Fig. 1 is shown a clothes washing device comprising an elongated handle I having a bore Ia extending throughout its length. Secured to the lower end of the handle is a sleeve 2 which projects downwardly below the end of the handle and is formed with an inturned flange 2a.

A conical shaped suction cup 3 is provided with a hollow neck 3a of restricted diameter which projects into and is fixedly secured within the bore la at the lower end of the handle. Enclosing the suction cup is a hold-down cup 4 having a downwardly and outwardly flared wall merging from cylindrical to hexagonal cross-section as it approaches its wider lower end (as indicated in Fig. 3). The hold-down cup has a hollow neck 4a. which encircles and slides on the neck 3a of the suction cup. The upper end of th neck 4a is bent outwardly to form a circumferential shoulder 41) of a diameter slightly less than that 2 of the sleeve 2 so that the shoulder is free to slide within'the sleeve. A coil spring 5 encircles the neck 3a and, under compression, exert a thrust between the shoulder 4b and the bottom face of handle I so as to normally press the shoulderagainst the flange 2a of sleeve 2.

Securedto and extending horizontally crosswise within the suction cup 3 is a partition plate 6 having a multitude of perforations 6a therein. This partition plate closes the bottom of a soap storage chamber constituted of the bore la through the handle, the upper end of the chamher being closed by a removable cap 1 threadedly associated with the upper end of the bore.

In order to obtain a more effective Washing action, the inside of the suction cup 3 below the partition plate 6 is formed with a series of protuberant projections or knuckles 8. These knuckles, which may be pressed from the metal composing the cup, as best shown in Fig. 2, are of smoothly and specially rounded shape arranged in staggered relation with respect to each other.

In the operation of the washing device just described, the garments to be washed are placed in an open tub and the lower end of the device is placed in the tub so as to be immersed in the wash water with th lower edge of the hold-down cup 4 clamping a portion of the garment or garmerits against the bottom of the tub. Now by manually working the handle up and down against the pressure of the coil spring the suction cup 3 is similarly moved upwardly and downwardly imparting a pumping action to the water confined within the hold-down cup 4 thus creating a desired turbulence in the liquid alternately forcing and sucking the water through the fabric of the garment.

While this action of the washing device in creating turbulence of the wash water is very beneficial to the cleansing of the garments, the action is further aided by th presence of the knuckles 8 which during the movement of the suction cup up and down rub against the garments and free the garment of dirt particles which require a certain amount of rubbing for their separation. This action may be likened to the dirtloosening effect or" the knuckles of the hand in the washing of clothes on a scrubbing board.

During the washing operation, a soapy water is maintained within the suction cup 3 by virtue of the dissolving away of the soap confined above the perforated partition plate 6. From time to time the supply of soap (in the form of chips or beads, for example) may be renewed by unscrewing the cap I and loading a fresh supply into the chamber provided by the bore la in the handle.

Because the hold-down cup 4 is of angular contour, the washing device will fit into corners of the tub or other receptacle in which the garments are contained.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact constructions illustrated and described but various modification of these details may be made within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clothes washing device comprising a pair of substantially nested metal cups having open bottoms, the inner cup being of less depth than the outer cup, tubular necks upon the cup arranged in coaxial telescoped relation, said necks extending axially outward from the ends of the cups opposite their open bottoms, a hollow handle secured to and communicating with the neck of the inner cup for reciprocating the inner cup within the outer cup, a compression spring exerting pressure between the handle and the outer cup, a perforated partition located within and extending transversely between the walls of the inner cup a spaced distance from its open bottom,

an opening in said handle distantly located from the end of the handle secured to the inner cup through which a supply of soap may be introduced into the space upon one side of the partition and a closure for said opening.

2. A clothes washing device as set forth in claim 1 in which the inner cup is provided upon its inner surface adjacent its open bottom with a circumferential series of rigid, inwardly directed spherically-rounded knuckles.

JOSEPH H. SOLOMON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

